Information architecture for the interactive environment

ABSTRACT

A system and method for providing management such as creation, manipulation, storage, control, and retrieval of digital content for a company on a global basis. Digital content is created and stored in, for example, the eXtensible Markup Language (XML) format using the relationship between component mapping information and content information comprising webpage components. The XML data is developed by defining page components, mapping the components on a page and indexing the page for future retrieval of the page. The data is then stored in a single database, as segments related to the page, for call-up by a user.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.09/769,887 entitled “INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE FOR THE INTERACTIVEENVIRONMENT” filed on Jan. 25, 2001, which application claims priorityto and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/178,456 filedon Jan. 27, 2000, both of which are contained herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates generally to methods and apparatus for managingcontent of a company-wide intranet or internet website, and moreparticularly, to systems for organizing data related in a singledatabase so the content can be managed from a global perspective.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

As more and more companies begin to provide a presence on the internet,they are confronted with the issues of presentation of information andconformity within the preparation of the presentations. Various schemeshave been presented to assist the companies in preparing thepresentation screens that would appear on the internet website, alongwith placing the presentation of the page in a location or locationsthat are linked, requiring a user to traverse various web pages toobtain the presentation desired. Such approaches have included delegatedauthority systems, have used content aggregation, have providedgraphical interfaces and dynamically generated web documents. Othergeneral website management has included editing and generatinginformation, data access/processing systems, automatic publishingsystems and group ware systems. These approaches generally demand aknowledge of the HTML operating language, a capability generally onlyfound in the website programmers and not among general employees.

The prior art generally fails to disclose a process for implementingchanges to an internet website, such that employees in a corporation maydefine and enforce a common style of page layout to provide anapplication that can be accessed by multiple users at the same time byan internet browser, where the application allows corporate employees tomanage content, create new web pages, process content through workflow,and define new content and style which can then be provided to a userwithout an undue amount of searching to find the desired information.Accordingly, once the presentation page is completed, data elementsrelating to the significance of the content are utilized to storeinformation relating to the content in various locations or sites, withthe various sites interconnected through the use of links. Thus, toobtain the information desired, a user may, of necessity, be forced totraverse several links to obtain the desired page with the requiredinformation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The previously described deficiencies in the prior art are addressed inthe present invention which, in conjunction with a content managementapplication, provides an intranet application to provide a system forimplementing changes to both an intranet or an internet website and,permitting a company to manage content for its website from a globalperspective. The content, created and stored once, can then be sharedand managed across a global organization. The information architecturesystem is the basic underlying infrastructure that allows a company toefficiently manage its content while taking advantage of variousefficiencies. The data can thus be viewed from a holistic perspectiveutilizing a structure of website contents that results from therelationship between objects on the physical pages, i.e., appearanceonly, instead of the prior art reliance on the significance of the dataelements displayed on the page, thereby providing a look and feel drivenstructure. The system function supports a workflow model for thelaunching of content and is extensible so the information architecturedoes not need to be expanded in order to support new data. Further, thesystem is platform and software independent whereby the content storedin the infrastructure can be delivered on any platform with the systemproviding granularity of content management. In one exemplaryembodiment, the system makes use of the extensible Markup Language (XML)to store relevant content. The use of XML provides extensible dataschema, content reuse, also known as repurposing, and flexible look andfeel. Since the information architecture is XML based, it can beimplemented either using a database, XML repository or a flat file basedsystem.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other features and advantages of the present invention arehereinafter described in the following detailed description of exemplaryembodiments to be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawingfigures, wherein like reference numerals are used to identify the sameor similar parts or steps in the similar views, and:

FIG. 1 is an exemplary representation of the workflow and page storageaspect of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exemplary block diagram depicting an embodiment of theInformation Architecture System using Content Management of the presentinvention;

FIG. 3 is an exemplary block diagram depicting a user accessing theglobal database of the Information Architecture System;

FIGS. 4 a-4 c are exemplary screen presentations provided by a user ofthe Information Architecture System; and

FIG. 5 is an exemplary workflow diagram depicting a logical data modelof the information architecture.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention may be described herein in terms of functionalblock components and various processing steps. It should be appreciatedthat such functional blocks may be realized by any number of hardwareand/or software components configured to perform the specifiedfunctions. For example, the software elements of the present inventionmay be implemented with any programming or scripting language such as C,C++, Java, PERL, or the like, with the various algorithms beingimplemented with any combination of data structures, objects, processes,routines or other programming elements. Further it should be noted thatthe present invention may employ any number of conventional techniquesfor data transmission, signaling, data processing, network control, andthe like. Still further, the invention could be used to detect orprevent security issues with a scripting language, such as JavaScript,VBScript or the like.

It should be appreciated that the particular implementations shown anddescribed herein are illustrative of the invention and its best mode andare not intended to otherwise limit the scope of the present inventionin any way. Indeed, for the sake of brevity, conventional datanetworking, application development and other functional aspects of thesystems (and components of the individual operating components of thesystems) may not be described in detail herein. Furthermore, theconnecting lines shown in the various figures contained herein areintended to represent exemplary functional relationships and/or physicalcouplings between the various elements. It should be noted that manyalternative or additional functional relationships or physicalconnections may be present in a practical electronic transaction system.

As hereinafter described, the present invention is directed to a systemand method for providing management such as creation, manipulation,storage, control, and retrieval of digital content for use in such as acompany website on a global basis and includes support for new pagelayouts and component layouts (i.e., support for new presentation styleswhether in Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), Wireless Markup Language(WML), PDF, or any other authoring language in which the presentationmay be written).

Further, the present invention permits content repurposing, i.e., thereuse of existing content for other forms of media once the content hasbeen produced and stored in a database. Accordingly, repurposing permitsuse of the content in such forms as mail, print, or other websites orany application in which the printed or electronic word is used andwhich may take advantage of the content stored in the database.

The information architecture of the present invention provides for aseparation of data from the presentation itself. Thus, the informationarchitecture data content, not being tied to the presentation, may, forexample, enable the database to support various foreign languages,formats and medias.

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown at 100 an exemplaryrepresentation of the flow diagram of the information architecturesystem of the present invention. The site administrator 102, initiates aproject to develop a new web page by assigning an author 106 to createthe page and its XML representation is stored in the database using acontent management application system 108. This starts the workflow 104whereby the author creates the page, then the author submits it forapproval through various levels. Once the approvals are obtained, thesite administrator 102 approves a content launch 110. While variousscripting languages may be used in creating content and/or a page, byway of example only and not by way of limitation, the content/page iswritten in the extensible Markup Language (XML) and is stored indatabase 120 as an XML file.

An external web user 130 wishing to access the information contained inthe page would request the page through a Content Delivery Application(CDA) translator 140. The CDA translator 140 would query the database120, retrieve the page and translate the XML file into an HTML page orany other presentation format suitable for user's device forpresentation to the user 130.

Referring now to FIG. 2, an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention is shown at 200. This embodiment uses a workflow group, suchas shown in FIG. 1, under control of the local site administrator 202.The workflow group includes a content author 206 and content approvers208. Once the site administrator 202 initiates a project and verballycommunicates the user ID and password to each new user designated in theworkflow, designated content author 206 creates and edits items usingcontent management applications.

Designated content approvers 208 review the content items produced bycontent author 206 and pass them through an approval process. Contentapprovers 208 mark the items as approved or rejected and, when the newcontent has been approved by all concerned users in the workflow, localsite administrator 202 launches the content to the global database 220.Users, using web browsers 230 a, 230 b, 230 c, interface through theworldwide web 232 to review the launched content. In some instances, therequest must be processed through a firewall 234 providing security tothe global database 220. Again, the XML file from the global databasecontaining the requested information is processed through a CDAtranslator into HTML, or a representation suitable for the user'sdevice, passed through the firewall 234 and presented in an HTML orsuitable representative language format on the worldwide web 232 foraccess by the web user requesting the information.

Referring now to FIG. 3, there is shown an exemplary block diagram at300 of a user accessing the global database of the network architecturesystem of the present invention. A user 330 connects to the internet orworldwide web 332, logging on through a firewall 334, if such ispresent, to a CDA translator to request information from database 320.The database, comprising various XML files relating to the various pagesstored therein in XML, as Segment 1, 350, Segment 2, 352 through SegmentX, 354. Once the proper segment containing the requested page islocated, it is transmitted from the database 320 to the CDA translator,which translates the XML file to, for example, an HTML page forpresentation through the firewall 334 to the internet 332 forpresentation to user 330.

Referring also to FIGS. 4 a-4 c, exemplary screen presentationsaccessible by user of the network architecture system are shown. Thepresentations 4 a, 4 b, 4 c correspond to the various segments 350, 352,354 depicted in FIG. 3 comprising the information relating to thecontent contained within the page.

Referring now to FIG. 5, each exemplary information segment shown inFIG. 3 may be seen to include a top level index to the informationcontained within the page/segment at 502. The page index defines thelocation of page level information at 504. Page level information 504defines segment component mapping at 506. Information contained withinpage component mapping 506 relates to component content information 508.Component content information 508 contains information relating to thevarious parts of a page, such as the navigation components, thecross-sell components, copyright components, and the like. Additionally,the component content information 508 includes page key wordrelationships, along with the component type information 510. Componenttype information 510 further defines the component item information usedin generating various items within a page. Base element information 514provides information used in developing the component item information512.

Accordingly, corresponding structures, acts, and equivalents of allelements in the claims below are intended to include any structuralmaterial or acts for performing the functions in combination with otherelements as specifically claimed. The scope of the invention should bedetermined by the allowed claims and their legal equivalents, ratherthan by the examples given above.

1. A computer-implemented method for managing digital content for acompany website on a global basis, including the steps of: receiving, bya computer-based system for managing said digital content for saidcompany website and from a computer of a user, a request to view anupdated content page; retrieving, by said computer-based system, acategory tag click count for a component corresponding to said user;analyzing, by said computer-based system, said category tag click countto determine a level of interest for establishing user preferences;retrieving, by said computer-based system, said component according tosaid user preferences, wherein said component includes a category tagcorresponding to said user preferences; and, positioning, by saidcomputer-based system, said retrieved component on said updated contentpage according to content mapping data which includes instructions formapping said component to said updated content page.
 2. The method ofclaim 1, further including creating said updated content page.
 3. Themethod of claim 1, further including: receiving, at a content managementapplication, a request to create updated content for a content pagewithin said company website, wherein said updated content comprisescomponents; creating said components according to said request; storingeach of said components within a markup language file globallyaccessible by a reviewer, wherein said components are decoupled fromsaid content page; and, creating an updated content page when each ofsaid components has been authorized, wherein said updated content pagedoes not include said components and comprises said content mappingdata.
 4. The method of claim 3, wherein said markup language file is inat least one of: an eXtensible Markup Language (XML) format and an HTMLformat.
 5. The method of claim 3, further comprising translating saidmarkup language file to an HTML format for presentation on said companywebsite.
 6. The method of claim 3, wherein storing said components assaid markup language file includes storing said markup language file inan extensible database that is platform and software independent.
 7. Themethod of claim 3, wherein storing said components as said markuplanguage file includes storing said markup language file in at least oneof: a database and a file system.
 8. The method of claim 3, whereinstoring said components as said markup language file includes storingsaid markup language file, wherein said markup language file is an XMLfile, in an extensible database that is platform and softwareindependent.
 9. The method of claim 3, further including routing saidcomponents to said reviewer, wherein each of said components isindividually routed.
 10. A computer-implemented method for viewing anupdated content page on a company website on a global basis, includingthe steps of: sending, from a computer of a user to a content managementapplication, a request to view said updated content page, wherein saidrequest causes said content management application to: retrieve acategory tag click count for a component corresponding to said user;analyze said category tag click count to determine a level of interestfor establishing user preferences; retrieve said component according tosaid user preferences, wherein said component includes a category tagcorresponding to said user preferences; and, position said retrievedcomponent on said updated content page according to content mapping datawhich includes instructions for mapping said component to said updatedcontent page; and, receiving said updated content webpage for viewing bysaid user.
 11. An article of manufacture including a non-transitory,tangible computer readable medium having instructions stored thereonthat, in response to execution by a computer-based system for managingdigital content for a company website, cause the computer-based systemto perform operations comprising: receiving, by said computer-basedsystem and from a computer of a user, a request to view an updatedcontent page; retrieving, by said computer-based system, a category tagclick count for a component corresponding to said user; analyzing, bysaid computer-based system, said category tag click count to determine alevel of interest for establishing user preferences; retrieving, by saidcomputer-based system, said component according to said userpreferences, wherein said component includes a category tagcorresponding to said user preferences; and, positioning, by saidcomputer-based system, said retrieved component on said updated contentpage according to content mapping data which includes instructions formapping said component to said updated content page.